Electrical remote control



May 1'5, 1951 s. G. lssERs'l-EDT 2,553,517

ELECTRICAL REMOTE CONTROL Filed Feb, 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. G. ISSERSTEDT May 15, 1951 s. G. lssERs'rEDT 2,553,517

ELECTRICAL REMOTE CONTROL Filed Feb. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/ Y 4021 26 Je \31 5o ATT'YS Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEELECTRICAL REMOTE CONTROL Siegfreid Gordon Isserstedt, Toronto, Ontario,`Canada.

Application February 15, 1946, Serial No. 647,931

8 Claims. l

This invention relates to electrical remote controls, and in particularto a control for remotely and selectively performing multiple switchingoperations by means of relay actuation.

Remote circuit control units for performing selective multiple switchingoperations have previously 1been known. In most cases such units haveemployed separate relays, stepping relays, remotely controlled motors,operating rotary switches, or separate relays for each switchingoperation required. Thus, they have involved relatively expensiveequipment which, by reason of the plurality of separate elements usedfor performing the :functions required., has rendered these devicesrelatively complex and in some cases relatively bulky. Moreover, the useof stepping relays, rotary switches or remotely controlled motors, etc.presents a further disadvantage as they introduce a time lag in theoperation of the unit which is not desirable. Furthermore, a separaterelay usually is required to turn on and off the current supplied to theunder control. These disadvantages are illustrative among a number thatare apparent in these types of controls previously used.

vSuch disadvantages can be avoided according to the present inventionwhile attaining further advantages not provided by the prior art.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a single relayoperated control which will remotely and selectively operate a series ofmultiple contacts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kindwhich is also adapted simultaneously to turn on and off the currentsupplied to the circuits controlled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kindincorporating a multiple switching relay which will automatically switchoff the current so that no currentr ows during switching operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple switchingrelay which selectively operates ,a number of multiple contacts whichare individually shielded.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a multipleswitching control of this general character which, by reason of its moreunitary construction and minimum number of parts, will be relativelyinexpensive to manufacture and which will lend itself readily to massproduction.

With these and other objects in View, the in.- vention generallycomprises a remote control unit incorporating one relay for effectingall switching operations and operating in conjuncllll tion withelectro-magnetic means for selecting the circuit or circuits required tobe controlled. The control unit preferably incorporates a means forautomatically engaging or disengaging a plurality of contactsindependent of the selective magnetic means and preferably also a meansof interrupting the current supplied to the selectively operated meansuntil the desired contact has been effected.

The invention will be clearly understood by reference to the followingdetailed specication taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings. In order to illustrate the invention clearly, the use of aremote control unit for the selective operation of a radio receiver willbe generally referred to in the present operation. It will beunderstood, however, that the invention generally applies to otherfields where such control is desirable or necessary.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a remote control unit as it might begenerally constructed for control of a radio receiver.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken through the mechanism carriedwithin the control box and showing the control relay in open position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the relay in the closedposition for eifecting a circuit connection.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 2 with a portion of the armature ofthe relay broken away to illustrate other parts of the construction.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic wiring detail of a unit for selectivelycontrolling a series of ve multiple switches; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional detail of an alternative manner ofconstructing the relay and e1ectro-magnetic selective means and whereinshielding between the control circuit and the controlled circuit orcircuits is not necessary.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a remote control unit which mayinclude any suitable casing l0 carrying the mechanically interlockedcontrol buttons or actuators Il employed for individual circuit controland designed to establish a circuit by remote control when operated.These buttons or switches are mechanically linked also with the controlbutton I2 which constitutes a means of switching 01T. Thus, through themechanical interconnection of these buttons, the depression of one willrelease all others of the series. Such a means of actuation is known. Inthe present illustration, as applied to the control ofv a radioreceiver, the various stations controlled by each lbutton o1' actuator ii may 'oe displayed suitably such as at i3 which may constitute anilluminated panel. Similarly, the oi switch is indicated as at i4. Inknown manner, a suitable volume control l5 may be incorporated.

In respect to the mechanical interconnection of the switches ll andincluding the switch I2, reference might be made at this point to Fig. 5which shows in each case an actuating element IG having a bevelledsurface designed to cooperate with the upper and lower bevelled surfacesl1 of corresponding openings formed in a horizontal slide It,spring-pressed as at I9. From this it is obvious that if any one o thecontrol buttons are depressed, the coaction between the lower bevelledsurfaces of the actuating element I6 with the upper bevelled surface ofthe corresponding opening will cause the slide I8 to move to the left asshown in Fig. 5. This will retain a push button in the downwardlydepressed position by reason of the lower bevelled surfaces l1 engagingthe upper be'velled surface of the actuator i5 retaining the button frommoving back to its initial position until depression of another of thecontrol buttons.

The depression of any one of the control buttons Il will cause thecorresponding switch of the series of switches B to close and to cause aiiow `of current through the circuit which it controls which, in eachinstance, includes electromagnetic means for initiating the requiredcircuit selection and the single operating relay. In this connection,reference is made particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 so that the general formof construction may be readily understood.

The control lbox incorporates the main operating relay C. Thisconstitutes a relay of generally known form including the core 20 andthe coil 2 l, the core being operatively in contact with the frame 22which, as here shown, is of substantially channel form having an uprightrear wall while the frame 22 may be extended vertically upright to forma series of vseparate upstanding ngers 24 designed to form the core ofan electro-magnetic coil .25. The fingers y24 forming the-coil may, ofcourse, take the form of separate individual cores if desired.

The circuit for operating the relay C is, according to the presentinvention, initiated through one of the coils 25 which in each instanceconnect with the coil 2i and the relay C by means of a suitableconnecting lead 25. The individual ngers 24, or in other words the corefor each electro-magnetic coil 25, are designed to be energized by thecoil 25 in each 'instance as the case may be and to attract a floatingactuator 21 which forms a part of each electro-magnetic coil unit. Eachfloating actuator 21 is freely-supported at its base by means of aspring plate 28, which may be disposed below the chassis mounting plate29, the insulated relay base ,3D and the frame 22 being suitablyoriiiced to permit of such support.

The core 24 in each instance preferably includes a unitary plate 3l madeof non-magnetic material and designed to be supported on the .plurality`of cores 24. It is designated to pro- `iect inwardly and has a seriesof slots indicated by the numeral 32, one for each electro-magnetic unitand designed to freely receive the upper end of the oating actuator 21in each instance and to limit its horizontal movement. Each floatingactuator preferably also includes a spring such as the leaf spring 33which is anchored at one end to the floating actuator and is freelysupported towards its opposite end in one of a series of slots, formedin the fingers 3|, spaced apart and horizontally aligned with the slots32 to form a means of maintaining the iloating actuator in theinoperative position, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and illustrated in topplan view in Fig. 4. It will be obvious, of course, that when any one ofthe coils 25 is energized, the core 24 thereof will attract the floatingactuator 21 and cause it to start to swing towards the core, thus movingthe floating actuator from its normal position of rest (Fig. 2) to aposition slightly to the right of position of rest as shown in Fig. 3.Similarly, when the coil 25 is deenergized the spring 33 will cause itto return to its position of rest.

Swingably supported, preferably from the rear wall 23 of the frame 22,is an armature plate 34, generally performing the functions of anoperating element, which may be mounted by means of suitable slots 35(Fig. 4) through which suitable upright lugs 36 disposed on the rearwall 23 are designed to project. The armature plate V34 is held ininoperative position in any suitable way, such as by a suitable coilspring 31 (Fig. 4). The armature plate 34, preferably also carries aplurality of contacts such as a contact plate 38 supported from suitabledepending arms 39 and designed to make contact with a plurality ofstationary contacts such as the contacts 40 and 4l (Fig. 4) forinitiating a circuit when the relay C is operated. The relay C, o1course, as will be obvious, operates in a conventional manner so thatupon energization of the core 2U, the armatureY is attracted thereto andswings downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the positionshown in Fig. 3.

According to the present invention, the armature takes the form of aunitary plate which is designed to overlie each of the floatingactuators 21. Adjacent to the free edge of the armature plate 34, alongitudinally extending slot 42 is formed. This is disposed directly tooverlie the position of rest of all of the iioating actuators 21. In thelower face `of the armature plate between its vouter free edge and the'slot 42, a longitudinally extending groove 43 is disposed. This .grooveis preferably V-shaped in cross-section, while the upper end of eachoating actuator 21 is preferably of corresponding crosssection so thatthere may be a cooperating action between the groove 43 and the free endof each floating actuator when any one of the latter are moved fromtheir normal positions of rest to active position. It will be apparent,therefore, that if any selected coil 25 is energized together with coil2|, with which each of the coils is connected in series, theenergization of the coil 25 will through the core 24 attract thecorresponding floating actuator 21. Simultaneously, the relay coil 2lwill 'be energized to attract the armature plate 34 downwardly withslight time lag so that it will be moved to the position shown in Fig.3. However, during this time lag between the energization of aparticular coil 25 and coil 2l, the iioating actuator 21 will be causedto swing towards the right as viewed in Fig. 2 so that when the armatureplate 34 moves downwardly, the upper end of the displaced iloatingactuator 21 (in active position) will be engaged by the groove 43 of thearmature and will be held in the displaced position and at the sam-etime downwardly actuated. On the other hand, all the other iloatingactuators 21 of the series which remain in their normal position of restwill register with the slot 42 and consequently will not be actuatedsince their upper ends will pass through the slot 42 and be positionedabove the plane of the upper surface of the armature as shown in Fig. 3.

The downward projection of the selected floating actuator will have theeffect of depressing the spring plate 28 which supports it in normalposition. This plate is designed to function as an actuator to operateany number of contacts according to the purpose required and, forinstance, the single-throw double-pole switch D, such as shown in Figs.2 and 3. The several push buttons Il of the control unit A are connectedby a cable 44 comprising the necessary number of wires to the relayunit, the common :wire of the switches operated by the push button beingconnected to the terminal 45 while the` individual control wire of eachswitch is connected to the appropriate terminal 45 (Fig. 4). Thus, whencontact has been established through the depression of the appropriatepush button, it will 'be obvious that current will flow through therelay coil 2| and through the selected coil of the series to causeselection of the appropriate floating actuator 2l and its actuation bythe armature plate 34 as described.

Reference is made to the wiring diagram illustrated in Fig. 5 whichillustrates the various connections necessary for controlling livestations of, for instance, a radio receiver, the number of stationscontrolled being purely arbitrary. Referring to the diagram, theterminals 4G are connected by cable with one side of each of theswitches B, while the terminal 45 is likewise connected by cable withthe other side of each of these switches. Current is supplied to thesystem by the leads 41 and 48 connecting with the source of power. Lead48 is connected to the lradio receiver1 E and to one side of a steppeddown transformer F which supplies current for the operation of therelays. Lead 41 is connected to the other side of the low voltagetransformer and to the contacts 48 and 4|. Contact 4e is connected bythe lead 49 to the radio receiver, Contactsl 40 and 4| are connected viathe shorting bar 38 upon energization of the relay coil 2|.Consequently, current is supplied via the leads 41 and 48 to the radioreceiver E.

As previously indicated, relay coil 2| is connected by the leads 26 toeach one of the coils 25 and the other side of the coils 25 is connectedthrough the lead 50 to the terminals 46 and through the cable to oneside of the switches B. The common wire of these switches is connectedby the lead 5| through the cable with the Contact 45. The secondary oftransformer F is connected by lead 52 with the terminal 45 and by lead53 to the coil 2| of the relay C. It is, therefore, obvious that whenany one of the buttons is depressed, low voltage current is suppliedfrom the secondary of the transformer F through-the lead 52 to theterminal 45. Current will flow through the cable and via the lead 5| toand through the switch B which is closed and through the cable to thecorresponding terminal 46, then through the lead 5G to the correspondingcoil 25 and via the lead 26 through the coil 2| of the relay and throughthe lead 53 to the opposite end of the secondary of transformer F.Establishment of this circuit will effect the operation described, viz.the energization of the coil 2| and the appropriate coil 25, theswinging of the appropriate floating actuator 2l as attracted throughthe core of the coil 25, the engagement of the upper end of thisactuator by the grooves 43 of the armature plate as it swings down,after a slight time lag, attracted by the relay C and the downwardmovement of the thus selected floating actuator 2l, which results in thedepression of its spring plate 28 and the closing of the contacts of theswitch D with which it is associated. The length of the iioatingactuators is preferably so chosen that the contacts of switch D will beeifected just prior to the engagement of the contact bar 38 with thecontacts 45 and 4|. Therefore, contact is made in the switch D while thecurrent is interrupted between the contact 38 and contacts 4B and 4|.Consequently any noises that might be caused by the making of thecontacts in the switch D are eliminated because of the currentinterruption during the making of the contacts. Likewise in othercircuits, such as telephone circuits, where current is carried in thecontacts D, this will avoid the burning of these contacts by sparking.

Upon the closing of the contact bar 38 with the contacts 45 and 4|,current is caused to ow to the radio receiver E which will be caused tooperate in accordance with the station which has been selected by theappropriate oating actuator 2l. Similar action takes place, V of course,in the case of any of the stations selected and when it is desired toremotely shut off the radio, it is only necessary to actuate the pushbutton l2 which, as previously described, will function similarly to theother push buttons to actuate the mechanical connection employed ich asthe bar I8, thus releasing the push button of the last station inoperation and opening the circuit.

One feature which makes the relay above described especially applicableto cases where it is desirable to shield the control circuit from thecontrolled circuit lies in the floating actuator 2l. This as is obviouslends very readily to shielding. Where, however, suchl shielding is notnecessary, an alternative form of actuation may be resorted to. In thiscase the armature plate is resiliently connected to the rear plate ofthe frame and is pulled downwardly in a similar manner by the coil 56surrounding the relay core 51, The iingers 58 or otherwise the cores ofthe coils 59, corresponding with the coils 25, connected in series withthe relay coil 55, are designed to attract the armature 60 attached tobut insulated from the spring arm 6|. The spring arm 6| is formed withan'inwardly and upwardly projecting nger 52 which is disposed tocooperate with the lip 63 of the armature plate 55, Accordingly,therefore, when current flows through the coils v58 and one of the coils59, according to selection, the armature 50 will be attracted throughthe core of coil 5S, thus positioning the finger 62 below the lip B3.Accordingly, therefore, in the slight time lag as previously described,the lip 63 will be moved downwardly to engage the nger 52 and toestablish contact between the selected linger 62 and lip 53, thusestablishing the selected circuit. It will be obvious that the selectedcircuit may be operated in exactly the same way by this type ofconstruction as in the case of the construction described in connectionwith Figs 1 to5.

While in the foregoing the invention has been particularly identiiiedwith the remote control of electrical circuit, it will, of course, beunderstood that the invention by no means is restricted to thisparticular field. It will be clearly appreciated 'that the floatingactuators, when caused to -move 'as described, may be adapted to performmechanical operations and therefore the 'invention clearly applies tothe remote control 'of mechanically operated devices where such a'control -is desirable.

Thus, through a particularly simple structure employing one ina-inelectro-magnetic operating element and oneor more electro-magnetic unitsconnected in series with vthe main electro-'niagn'ctic operatingelement, one of a series of agencies required to -be operated may becontrolled according to the desired selection.

What I claim as my invention is:

il. 'Aremote control for 'a plural-ity of electrical circuits comprising`a plurality of switches ior 'selecting the circuit required to beoperated, a main electro-magnetic actuator, a plurality ofelectro-magnetic units-connected in 'circuit with said actuator, eachone of said electro-'magnetic units being designed for electricalconnection with one of said switches respectively, means in connectionwith each of said switches for supplyin'g current to itselectro-'magnetic unit and foi-operating said actuator upon operation orsaid switch, a movable circuit selector cooperatively related to each ofsaid electro-magnetic units `and operable thereby lto an active positionon eneigization o1" its electro-magnetic unit,

'switch means operable by said circuit selector 2. A-remote control 4fora plurality ol electrical circuits as claimed in claim l in which switchmeans is provided, operable upon movement of 'said actuator rforsupplying current from a main 'circuit to the selected circuit.

3. A remote control for a plurality of electrical circuits 'as claimedin claim 2 in which switch means is provided, operable upon movement of'said actuator for supplying current from a main cuit to the selectedcircuit, said switch 'means being "operated successively to the closingof the selected Vcircuit by its selector.

tl. An "electrical remote control comprising a plurality ci' switchesfor selecting a desired 'circuit to be operated, a'main electro-magneticoperating element, a plurality of electro-magnetic units connected incircuit with said operating element, each one of said electro-magneticunits being 'designed for velectrical connection with one .'ofsa'idswitches respectively, each of said switches when operated beingdesigned to complete its cuit to supply current 'to its electro-magnetic'unit vand to cause operation of said operating element, a `floatingactuator in connection with each electro-magnetic unit and operablethereby to 'an active position, said operating element en- Igagin'g andinov'in'g any of the floating actuators ially when 'disposed in theactive position to mechanicaliyls'elect and complete a desired circuit.

5. 'An electrical vremote control comprising a pluralityv of switchesfor vselecting a desired circuit to be operated, atleast oneelectro-magnetic operating 'clement and at least two `electro-magneticunits connected in ircuit with lsaid operating element, each one oielectro-magnetic units being dcsigncd with electrical connection withone operate ,each of said of said switches, each of said switches whenoperated being designed to complete its circuit to supply current to itselectro-magnetic unit, a noa-ting actuator in connection with eachelectromagnetic unit, Athe vlatter being designed to displace saidiioating actuator in one direction to an active position and anactuating element operated by said electro-magnetic operating elementsubstantially simultaneously with the operation of said electro-magneticunit to engage and displace the floating actuator in another directionYto select :and complete a predetermined circuit.

An electrical remote control as claimed in Aclaim 5 in which the mainelectro-magnetic operating element is formed with a movable armatureplate extending linearly in eiiect to overlie all ioating actuators oi'said electro-magnetic units and means in connection with said armatureplate for by-passing all floating actuators not moved to an activeposition whereby selectively to operate any ioating actuator disposed inan active position.

7. An electrical remote control as 'claimed in claim l in which the.main electro-magnetic operated element includes a movable armatureplate having linear extent in effect to overlie all movable actuators,said plate being slotted in an area overlying the normal position ofrest of each floating actuator and designed to by-pass said actuators byrmeans of said slots when said armature plate is operated, said platebeing solid beyond said slots in a position Vcoinciding with the activepositions of each movable actuator.

8. An electr-ical remote control comprising a plurality oi` switches forselecting a desired control operation, a main electro-magnetic operatingelement, a plurality of electro-magnetic selector units all connected incircuit with said operating element, and each connected to one only of-said switches, each one of said electro-magnetic selector units beingwired for electrical connection in series with said electro-magneticoperating element and with its related switch, each of said switcheswhen operated being designed to complete its circuit to supply currentto its electromagnetic selector unit and to cause operation of saidoperating element, a plurality of movable control-actuators, each or"said control-actuators beingcoeoperatively related with one of saidelectro-magnet selector units, urging means for .normal-ly urging eachof said control-actuators to an inactive position with relation to saidoperating element, each oi said electro-magnetic selector units beingesigned when ysupplied with current to overcome said latter mentionedurging means -a-nd to move its related control-actuator into an act-ive.position with relation to said operating element, Vsaid opera-tingelement being designed to control-actuators when moved by its relatedelectro-magnetic selector unit to an active position.

SQEEGFIREID GORDON ISSERSTED-T.

rREFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,276,697 Brune Mar. 17, 19422,315,191 Elliott Mar. 30, 1943

